1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an auxiliary wheel for use in conjunction with a conventional wheel of a land traversing vehicle, such as an automobile, and is normally used in emergencies when the pneumatic tire of the regular wheel becomes inoperative.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is a common practice to provide all motor vehicles with a spare tire and the necessary equipment to facilitate the changing of a tire when one of the automobile tires becomes inoperative, such as when a tire is punctured. Although the spare tire has its drawbacks, the tire has accomplished its function in a fairly acceptable manner in the past. However, the trend today is toward the elimination of the spare tire for the obvious purpose of reducing the cost of the automobile and to eliminate the possible hazard, discomfort and time involved in the changing of a tire when the same becomes inoperative. Other objections to the use of spare tires and the associated equipment necessary for the changing of a tire include the necessity of a substantial amount of storage space. In view of the trend to more and more compact cars, the storage space for the spare tire is becoming critical as this space is needed for the storage of more valuable or useful items, especially if the compact car is to be used on an extended trip. Thus, a prime consideration in the replacement of the spare tire is the requirement for more space and the need to eliminate the cost of the existing spare tire and accompanying equipment. Utmost in the replacement of the spare tire by a suitable substitute is the retention of all the advantages of the spare tire and the elimination of the disadvantages. In providing a substitute for the automobile spare tire, it is necessary to keep in mind that the intended purpose is the provision of a means for reaching a service station or other repair facility in order to have the primary vehicle pneumatic road tire repaired. The substitute should be of minimal weight, convenient in size so that it may be easily handled and requiring a minimum amount of storage space in the vehicle.
Another important consideration of a substitute is the ease of application in using the same, as its installation should eliminate the need for a jack. Further, a substitute should require only a minimum amount of manipulation so that proper use of the same may be obtained by persons of minimum strength and minimum mechanical aptitude.
Obviously, a substitute for the spare tire must be of such a design and construction that the same is dependable in that it may be used continuously and, at reasonable speeds, provide good handling characteristics and vehicle stability.
Heretofore, various attempts have been made at providing a suitable substitute for the automobile spare tire. Such substitutes have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,535,567, 2,807,507, 2,863,703, 3,024,070, 3,608,970 and 3,644,001. The various designs, constructions and schemes disclosed in the aforementioned provide the desired results, however, they are either complicated in their design, expensive to manufacture, require a separate source of air pressure in order to be usable or are outright impractical.